Nelson Piquet to be honoured at the Autosport Awards

The three-time Formula 1 champion is set to receive a lifetime achievement award at the 30th annual Autosport Awards

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Three-time Formula 1 world champion Nelson Piquet is to be honoured with the Gregor Grant Award for Lifetime Achievement in Motorsport at the Autosport Awards this Sunday.

The accolade, which has been presented as part of the annual Awards since 1989, has previously gone to icons including Mario Andretti, Dale Earnhardt Sr, Sir Jackie Stewart, Sir Stirling Moss, Alain Prost and Emerson Fittipaldi.

Widely regarded as the 'biggest night in world motorsport', the Autosport Awards was first held in 1987 and previous winners and attendees include Ayrton Senna, Lewis Hamilton, Sebastian Vettel, Colin McRae and Niki Lauda.

Piquet entered F1 in 1978 having been hired by Brabham boss Bernie Ecclestone to serve as team-mate to Niki Lauda. In 1981, with three race wins and seven podium finishes in the Brabham BT49, he won his first title.

A second followed two years later as Piquet raced his turbocharged Brabham BT42 to three wins, edging a season-long battle with Alain Prost. Five years later Piquet secured his third and final title, beating his Williams team-mate Nigel Mansell.

With 204 races starts that cover 23 wins and 60 podiums over a 13-year stint in F1, Piquet stands as just one of ten men to have won the F1 title three times.

Piquet said: 'It's an honour to be offered this award and join a very special list of winners. I’m very proud that Autosport has chosen to reflect on my racing career and I am looking forward to meeting old friends at the event.’

The Awards will take place on Sunday 3 December at Grosvenor House Hotel, Park Lane.

The Awards

This year’s Awards will include a new presenter line-up, featuring former McLaren and Williams driver David Coulthard and leading broadcaster Lee McKenzie.

Among the nominees for the prestigious Awards are Lewis Hamilton for International Racing Driver of the Year, who claimed his fourth F1 title win this year and Fernando Alonso for Rookie of the Year, following his stellar Indy 500 debut in May.

Racing Car of the Year Award nominees include the championship-winning Mercedes F1 W08 EQ Power+ and close rival Ferrari SF70H, while M-Sport’s Fiesta RS WRC is in the running for Rally Car of the Year alongside the Hyundai i20WRC and Toyota Yaris WRC.

The winner of the McLaren Autosport BRDC Award will also be announced on the night, with four young British drivers – Enaam Ahmed, Max Fewtrell, Harrison Scott and Dan Ticktum – hoping to claim the coveted award, which offers the winner an F1 test and the opportunity to join the McLaren Young Driver Programme in 2018.